12 UNESCO sites most Americans will never see

Sure, plenty of people visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of London, Paris, Rome, the Taj Mahal, Yosemite, but far fewer U.S. travelers seek out equally fascinating cities, monuments and attractions in widely overlooked parts of the world? For World Heritage Day, here are a few spots that you should consider — if only to go somewhere in the world with very few Americans. Follow the links to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Historic Centre of Riga Despite having been under Soviet or German rule for most of the 20th century, Riga is a 12th century walled city with plenty of history of its own. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Curonian Spit The Curonian Spit is a strip of forest, Baltic beaches and artsy holiday villages that stretches 85 miles along the coast of Lithuania and an isolated portion of Russia. While it is a popular summer spot for German and Russian tourists, it has never been on the radar of America travelers. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Dinosaur Provincial Park Most U.S. travelers are unaware that the same geologic forces that created the badlands in Utah, Wyoming and Montana also created similar features north of the Canadian border. Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta is among the richest dinosaur fossil beds on the planet, but is widely unknown in the U.S. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Historic Centre of Lima Lima tends to be looked at only as a transit point for travelers headed toward Cusco and Machu Picchu, but the city offers a wealth of history — and culture that is far more representative of today’s Peru. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Historic Centre of Évora The town has been a stronghold for every invading force, from the Celts forward, so it’s not uncommon to find walls laid by Roman workers inside a shop selling fine port. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines Because of its seemingly inexhaustible silver mines, Guanajuato is Mexico’s most European city — and the most important city in the overthrow of European rule. Because of its site in the center of the country, far fewer U.S. tourists come here than to the popular beach resort cities. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Old Havana and its Fortification System Tremendous amounts of Spanish colonial architecture and a vibrant culture, but so long as the ridiculous antiquated embargo continues, U.S.. travelers only see Havana if they shell out a small fortune for the educational tours or if they go illegally. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman The ancient alfaj irrigation canals have been running through Oman for millennia, but the friendly attraction-filled country is widely overlooked by U.S. travelers. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

City of Valletta The tiny island of Malta has been one of the most sought out Mediterranean strongholds for centuries, which has left a culture based on dozens of influences. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Vilnius Historic Centre The capital of Lithuania is a hotbed of history from medieval times on up, but as a part of the former Soviet Union, U.S. travelers assume it’s gray and ugly. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)

Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba It’s Argentina’s second largest city and the cradle for several of the country’s revolutions, but it gets less than half the foreign traffic of popular Buenos Aires. (Photo: Spud Hilton / The Chronicle)